Slide buckle



Oct., 28, 1941. w. w. HOFFLAND 2,260,378

SLIDE BUCKLE Filed April 19, 1940 2 Sheets-Shea# l Wye/1 "v MM. llllllllllll lllllllllllll yllllllllllllllll I Oct. 28, 1941. w. w. HOFFLAND SLIDE BUCKLE Filed April i9', 1940 je IZ,

Patented Oct. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFICE 4SLIDE BUCKLE Walter W. Hoffland, Glendo, Wyo., assignor to The Waterbury Buckle Company, Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application April 19, 1940, Serial No. 330,442,

12 Claims. (Cl. ,Z4-196) to grip the same.

Another object of the present invention is toprovide a superior slide-buckle of the character referred to in which the major portion of the buckle may be substantially concealed by the strap-portion which it grips.

A further object of the present invention is to, provide a superior slide-buckle of the type lreferred to and which has its elements so constructed and arranged as to enable a strap to be gripped against the front surface of theframe or body-member rather than against the rear taken on the line 8--8 of Fig. '7, but on a larger scale; l

Fig. 9 isa transverse sectional view taken on the line y9 9 of Fig. 7, but on a larger scale;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the slide-buckle shown in Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive.

Fig. '11 is a view in front elevation of still another form of slide-buckle embodying the present'invention, and shown in conjunction with parts of both the fixed-end and free-end of a belt;

Fig. 12 is a view thereof in rear elevation;

Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line |3--l3 of Fig. 11, but on a larger scale;

Fig. 14 is a view in central-longitudinal section taken on the line lil-I4 of Fig. 11., but on a larger scale;

Fig. 15 is an elevational View showing the slidebuckle of Figs. 11 to 14 inclusive reversed facefor-face to cause the face shown in Fig. 12 to become the front face of the slide-buckle.

Fig. 16 is a perspective View of the grippingmember of the buckle-structure shown in Figs.

face thereof, so that a relatively-small grippingmember may be substantially all that interrupts the otherwise apparent continuity of such strap.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art and which are not claimed in any separate application.

, In the accompanying drawings, in which cerfront Y Fig. 4 is a broken view in central-longitudinal section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2.but on a larger scale;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the body-member detached; l

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the grippingmember, detached;

Fig. 7 is a face View of another form of slidebuckle embodying the present invention;

The buckle of Figs; 1 to 6, inclusive The particular embodiment of the present invention shown in the figures referred to, comprises a body-member or frame generally designated by the reference character 20, and a gripping-member 2l slidable lengthwise of the said body-member. f

The body-member 20 above referred to, includes a substantially-flat front-panel 22 from the respective opposite side-edges of which rearwardly project longitudinally-extending sidewalls 23-23 coupled together at their outer ends by an integral outer end-Wall 24. Adjacent its outer end, the front-panel 22 of the body-member 20 is provided with a series of transverselyextending flutes 25 to provide a gripping surface for the retention of a strap,gin a manner as will hereinafter appear.

Adjacent its inner end, the body-member 20 is formed with a transversely-extending strapreceiving slot 26 having its outer wall constituted by the inner edge of an integral strap-attaching bar 21. Also adjacent its inner end and hence adjacent both the slot 26 and the bar 2l,

, the body-member 20 has its side Walls increased in depth for a short `distance to provide rear- Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional View thereof 55 Wardly-projecting `stop-ears 28-28 for limiting 1 body-member 20.

the movement of the gripping-member 2|, in a manner as will hereinafter appear.

Forwardly of its stop-ear 28, each of the two side-walls 23-23 of the body-member 20 slopes away from the strap-attaching bar 21 and away from the front-panel 22 thereof to provide each of the said side-walls with a rearwardly-facing nclined camming-surface 29 constituting-portions of the r rear-face. ofthe 'said body-member '20.

The body-member or frame 20 above referred to may be conveniently stamped up from sheet metal in an economical manner to provide a structure of adequate strength.

The gripping-member 2|...before` referred --to comprises a front gripping-bar"30,extending transversely across the front face of `thefrontpanel 22 of the body-member 26. Formed integral with each of the respective' opposite ends of the gripping-member 2| is one of'two. rearwardly-extending J-shaped side-arms 3|-3|.

' Each 'of the "said side-arms 3 |-3 extends -rearwardly along the outer face of the adjacent-one 'of' the twoside-walls 2 3-23 Y of y'the body-member 2|]V andzisiprovided with 'anjinturned Aportion or rcam-surface '32' providing a forwardly-'facing .cam-surface v,for engagement with the jcammingsurface4 29'.ofthejadjacentone of the side-walls :Z3-23. vInwardlyA lof its l cam-surface v32,--each J.shaped' in. cross-section 'side-arm 3| is formed with a'forwardly-projecting guard-finger 33 extending forwardly adjacent the inner face of the adjacent one 'of'the'side=walls 23--23 of the bodymember 20; as'islespecially'.well-.shown in Fig. 3.

v.In use the'slide-buckle has the so-called fixedend 34- of a strap suchfor instance as the belt 35 shown particularly well in Fig..,1,"wrapped around itsstrap-attaching. bar 21 'andjsewn' or otherwise secured .in place, as is particularlywell -shown in' FigQ/l. M'I'h freeend 36"`of .the belt .35

is slipped'. beneath the gripping-bar. 3020i' the" n gripping-member 2,-| andover the forward face of the front-panel `22. lofl the Abody-member 20 and in a direction' from the front end-wall .24., toward the. .strap-attaching bar` 21.

During the. operationpf inserting .the free end 36 of the belt 35 beneath the gripping-barn .as just above described, the gripping-member 2| will, if not alreadyso positioned; -be -moved toward the' strap-attaching-fbar -21f.to thus provide am-plegspace Y for' the. insertions :referred to.

Afterftheffreeend 36 of thebelt .35..has been inserted as aboveA .describedmand the grippingthe riding-ofthefcam-surfaces 32-'32.of thegrip- 1 ping-memberl 2 |-rearwardlyandoutwardlyalong the-complemented cammi-ngf-.sur-faces 23e-290i. the

w -`may be--.eifected bypulling .;the..-same, inthe di- ,rection` of the arrowf-Afshown 4 .to thereby cause the gripping-member `2 |.fto ridealong the `camming-surfaces2.9---29 ofthe body-member 20 n. riny i thev general directionfof the' V'strap-atta'cl'i-ing -cbar 21? 'to thus retire its lgripping-bar-Sl) -f-urther away from the front-panel 22 and into the posi- Itionindicatediloyabroken Ylines in' Fig; 4. If .de-

sired, .the frelease Aof thefree. .end k36-.rnay beeffected. -bydirectly grasping the .gripping-.member Thegripping-member' 2| is prevented from lping-member.l 2|, thesaid-vgripping-memberV is .prevented from'y sliding off from the` outer end of the body-member 2|) by the engagement of its guard-fingers 335-33 with the inner face of the 4referred to.- a longitudinally-tapered body-inember 31 is employed. The said body-member is `'formed by reversely bending a sheet of brass or end-wall 24 of the said body-member.

The buckle of Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive .-In the structure shown in the figures just above 1other-suitable material to provide a front-panel 38 and a complemental rear-panel 39 both united at ftheirj outer vends by an integralsemicylindrical outer end-wallf40. "From''their point 'of juncture with the outer end-wall '740the" frOnt-pan'el`38 and the rear-panel 39 converge'toward eachother inthe direction of the inner end-'of 'the/bodyymember '31, as isshown particularly well inFigs.

8 and -10. The inner ends of thetwo said' panels *138 and '39 lie in contact and in parallelism with each other to provide arectangular strap-receiv- 'rear 4face' `Iof the adjacentA portion jof 'the-rearpanel 39 to hold thelinner ends-'of the two said panels together as, is particularly'well `shown in "Figs- 8 and 10.

Adjacent theA outer end-walll 44l] the* frontpanel v3B ofthe body-'member 31gis formed with a l series of transverse 'flutes 44 as is particularly wel] front face of the front-panel 38.

shownin Fig. 8, and .against which the'free end of a suitable strap may bei clamped 'by agrppingmember 45l which includes a relativelynarrow gripping-bar 46 extending transverselyacrosst-he Extending rear- Wa'rdlyfrom each "ofthe respective oppositev ends of the gripping-bar 46' just referred to isdone 'of two complemental L-shaped side-arms 414-41.

member 31.

Projecting laterally inwardly `fromthe rear- 'end of each of the side-arms`41-/41- is one of two cam-fingers 48-48 inclined with respect to the gripping-bar 46 to a'degree sufficient to cause the said gripping-bar' to extend' substantial parallelism with the 'fro`nt-panelf38 of the body- Each l of the lcam-fingers '48-48 thus, under normal conditions', has '.camrningfen- A gagement with the adjacent portion'lof. ther rear face of the rear-panel 39 to thus Cause/the ygripping of a suitable strap by-the gripping-bar 46 when the gripping-member 45 is 'moved toward the outer'end of the body-member 31.

To guard against Vthe =detachrnentof the gripping-member 45 by riding oil the outer end, of the body-member 31, the cuterend-Wall-l .of the said body-member is extended transverselybn each of the respective opposite sides` of'the .'s'aid body-member to respectively provide 'stop-ears 49--49 respectively engageable by theouter edges of the side-arms 41-41 of the gripping-member .45.

To guard against the demounting ofthe gripping-member 45 by movement inwardly and over the laminated strap-attaching bar 42, the respecf tive inner ends of the said body-member are projected transversely outwardly to provide stop-ears 50-50 respectively engageable by the inner edges of the side-arms 41--41 of the gripping memvber 45.

f As thus constructed and arranged, the slidebuckle illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive has 'the same fundamental characteristics as the structureV illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive.

The buckle of Figs. 11 to 17, inclusive l This particular slide-buckle includes a bodymember 5| which may be conveniently formed by.' molding the same from any one of a wide variety of synthetic resins.

\- back or front of the structure in a manner as will fully hereinafter appear.

The outer end of the body-member 5| is of semi-cylindrical form a's at 54, and the material of the said body-member is projected outwardly on each of the respective opposite sides at the said' outer end to provide stop-ears 55--55, for

thepurpose as will hereinafter appear. Adjacent the outer end of the body-member 5|,.the face 52 thereof is provided with transverse ilutes or` Slidable longitudinally of the body-.member 5| is a tubular `clamping-member 62 having two spaced-apart face-bars 63 and'64 extending in 'substantial parallelism with. each other ina directiontransversely of the body-member 5|, butin-"145 clined with respect to each other-in a direction lengthwise of the said body-member.` The-two f face-bars 63 and 64 are each:connected yat-their respective opposite ends to the other ofthe facelFor purposes of decoration, the face-bar-63zrnay,

if.l desired, be provided withv a-slot 66, as is shown especially well in Fig. 16 and the face-bar 64 `with any desired ornamentation, such for instance, as the monogram shown in Fig. 12.

The clamping-member 62 may be made Aof* any suitable material such, for instance,` as brass.

' As before indicatedthe.slide-bucklenow being y Ydiscussed'is reversible face-for-face -in.a manner as will be now more particularly described.

rThe vfree end 61 of the belt or-strapr6| may -be slipped between the inner `face of .the face- -bar 63 of the clamping-member 62 and the. face 52 of the body-member 5|, as isindicated in Figs. 11 to 14 inclusive, and clamped in place. by4 afrelative longitudinal movementbetween the bodymember 5| and the 'clamping-member 62 in such direction as will bring' the s aid clamping-member toward the outer or thicker end o f the said body-member. y

For purposes of description,l let it be assumed that the belt or strap 6| has its respective opposite faces differentially colored with respect to each other, thus, for instance, the face ofthe said belt against which the face-bar 63 of the clamping-member 62 is engaged might, for instance, be

black. The opposite'face of the strap might, for instance, be brown. Under thesecircumstances,

vif it is desired to have the outer face of the said belt or strap 6| show brown coloration, the said strap andthe slide-buckle structure may all be reversed into the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 15, and the freeend 61 of the said strap threaded inwardly toward the fixed end 60 between the face 53 of the body-member 5| and the opposite face-bar 64 of the clamping-member 62. This reversal is also indicated by broken lines in Fig. 14,.

Rsum

All of the three forms -of the present invention shown in the accompanying drawings and above described, ar'echaracterized by simplicity, reliability of action and relative unobtrusiveness of the buckle structure itself.

The invention may be carried out in other specic ways` than those herein set yforthy without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning land equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein. f

I claim:

1. A slide-buckle including in combination: a body-member having a front face for gripping engagement withthe free end of a strap, the said body-member also having rearwardlyfacing camming-means inclined with respect to the frontface thereof in a direction lengthwise of the body-member; and a" gripping-member having a gripping-barv extending transversely across the front face of the said body-member in forwardly-spaced relationship thereto to provide a strap-passage between its rear face and the opposed front face of the said body-member, the said gripping-member also including rearwardly-projecting camming-means engaging with the rearwardly-facing camming-means of the said body-member to effect the rearward movement of the gripping-bar of the grippingmember with respect to 'the iront face of the body-member to clamp a strap against the latter as the said gripping-member is moved longitudinally of the said body-member.

2. A slide-buckle including in combination: a body-member having a front face for gripping engagement with the free end of a strap, the said body-member also having rearwardly-facing camming-means inclined with respect to the front face thereof in a direction lengthwise of the body-member; and a gripping-member having a gripping-bar extending transversely across the front face of the said body-member in forwardly-spaced relationship thereto to provide a strap-passage between its rear face and the opposed front face of the said body-member, the said gripping-member also including vtwo rearwardly-projecting portions, one of which extends rearwardly from each of the respective opposite ends of the gripping-bar for engagement with the rearwardly-facing camming-rneans of the said body-member to effect the rearward movement of the gripping-bar of the said grippingmember with respect to the front face of the said body-member to clamp a strap against the latter as the said gripping-member is moved longitudinally of the said body-member.

3. A slide-buckle `including in combination: a

@body--membenL having i affront gfface l for gripping r1ienga-gement'rwith? the xfree; endl of la'fstrap, the ,'sadf `bodys-memloe1 also; having: two' rearwardlyfacing: cammingr-rsurfaces,-; oneof which s is 'located adjacentxeach-side ofi-,the said 4body-memfu-.beraandxwhiclfris'inclined :with @respect to-ithe f `frontV face', thereof in 1 a i `direction.;- lengthwise of I the ffbodyemember;I and2 .a gripping-memberfhaving: a grippi-ng:bar;y Aextending xtransversely yacross the front face of thefs'aid. bodyfmember Y in forwardlyf-spaced relationship thereto f tov provide I, a fstrap-passage;between; itsV rearwfacey vand ,thef opposed front face of the said body-member, the

said gripping-member also including two rearwardly-projecting arms one of which extends'.

f rearwardly from .each/ oil'the v4respective;l opposite lends off-fthe 'gripping-,bar of the said figrippingmember and intoi engagement' vwith :the-:adj acent f oneof the Vtwo'.rearwardly-facing -inclined `camming-surfaces of the .said body-member to;A effect,V vfthe .rearward movementi-:ofsthefgrippingebar of fthems'aid l gripping-member with-respect` to 'the front' face of Ythe:body-memberLto .clampV a'zstrap `against fthe' L flatter` v as the' s'aid-w lgripping-member lEber. l y

4.2?A :'slide-buckle including s in "combination: a l; body-member having'. aV front face for gripping engagement with the free .end Die aistrap; the

said body-member also having two rearwardly,-`

the-body-member; and a' gripping-'member .hav-I ingfa gripping-bar extending-itransversely across the front fface "of.1:the'fsaid-fbodyrmemberin for- 'rwardly-spaced" relationship @thereto .to :provide fa'istrapspassageebetween zits rear 'faceA and k'the opposedlfront faceofr' thersaidfbody-'memben the, v' saidfgripping-membert also including' two ...rearwardly-projecting'farms*f oney of :which extends #rearwardly fromffeach endwoi' the y saidl grippingr barz'and'4 along` ,the side edge of Vthe said body- 'ljecti-ng iarms -of fthef gripping-member jbeing formedy at `its rear with' an` inwardly-proj ecting I@lation-i.providing aw*forwardly-fac'ing` v oar-nmingr-portion"engaging-with ,theiadjacent-one ofthe 'Y ftw'o :rearwardly-facingcamming-surfaces yof` them said body-,member y'to-effect :the erearward -moVe-" ment `of T' the gripping-barv :of fthe gripping-memlber with respect ,to the front facer ofthe kbodyil'rnembery'torclamp'A ahstrapf against the latter as w l1-,he said; gripping-member is -Inoved lOIlgitlld-F 'nallyi of thesaidI f-body-member. 5.??A 'slide-buckle' including. in combination: a longitudinally-tapered body-member having a "ffrontf'face rand-f a krearface provided adjacent reach' offits respectiveopposite side edges with -r one ofi'two k-cammingsurfaces inclined lengthi 'wise 4of thebody-member-with yrespect to the Pfrontfface -t-h'ereof; and a vgripping-member `having agripping-Fbar extending transversely across V'theironty facefof the saidf longitudinally-tapered thereto "toc provide 1 a-v strap-passage .ibetween its f rearzface'and the front -face of) thek said bodyfmemb'er; 'the "said gripping --member having cam- 'ming-'means at'eaoh` of its -respective opposite Vendsextendingv into cammingengagement l with theadjacentpne of the two camming-surfaces l of `the lsaid body-member; to- `effect vthe f rearward movementA "of the` :gripping-.barof Vthe` Agrippingmember -with respect :to the r.front `fact-:H ofy the csa-id bodyg-memben i to clarnp a strap' as .thesaid gripping-member is :moved longitudinally .ofv.. the said 4bodyrnember-r toward `,the .fthickerg-rend 'thereof, V v v' v 6. A Aslide-buckle 'including infcombinationz'a l `1ongitudinally-tapered body-member ycomprising a front-panel and two longitudinally-,tapered :side-flanges --respectively projecting rearwardly from 'the respective yopposite-.side 'edges;of.;the said ifront-panel, the rear-edge .-f of ea-chrrsofsthe said side-flanges :providing a rearwardly-facing camming-surface inclined longitudinallypf the body-member with respect to the front face of f the `front-panel thereof; and a gripping-member yhaving a gripping-bar` 1extendingtransversely acrossthey front Aface' of vthe front-panel'v offs the 'r said body-member in forwardly-.spaced V relationship thereto :to provide a strap'epass'agelbetween its rear face andthe. opposed front-face, ofithe` z' front-panel of the said body-member, Ythe's'aid v gripping-membery also including two rearwardlyprojecting arms one of which extends'rearwardlyA gripping-bar of thef said gripping-meinberand 'into vengagement with the rearwardly-'facing lonvgitudinally-inclined edge ofthea'djacent one-Tof "theftwo side-flanges of the said body-member to ee'ct the rearward movement'"of"the-gripping bar of the said gripping-memberwith respect to lthe`-front`iace ofthe front-panel'ofthe 4bodylmember to 'clamp a v'strap against',l the latter` as YtheY said gripping-member-is' moved longitudinally of the said body-member.

'7. A slide-buckle including n-` combination: a longitudinally-tapered body-member comprising f a lfront-panel and two "longitudinally-tapered body-member Awith respect to the' frontjface of the' front-'panel thereof ;`A and a gripping-member ,.memher; each of, the twovsaid ,rearwardlyypmzs havlng .a gripping-bar extendmgl transversely across the front facefof'thefront-panel oi'fthe said body-member' inforwardly-spaced relationship thereto to provide a strap-'passage' betweenitsre'ar 'face and the opposedlfront face vofthe Vprojecting arms one of which extendsrearwardflyy from each ofthe respective opposite endsl of the gripping-barr of the said ygripping-rneinher, the rearv ends of each of the two said arms-bf the gripping-member being' bent inwardly fand then forwardly to Vrespectively,provide a portion for ;camming-engagement wtih' the adj acent'longitudinally-inclined edgev of one of the-A sideanges o f ,the said body-rnemberand to provide a guard-finger extending forwardly adjacent'the inner face ofthe s'ide-iiange just referred to.

A slide-buckle including in combinatonz'- a A*body-vmeinber havinga front jface for gripping w' engagement with the free end of -`a strap, 'the bodywmemberf-in forwardly-spaced relationship ,said body-member A also having rearwardly-facing camming-means inclinedl with respect to*l the posite ends of the said front bar and the said rear bar.

9. A slide-buckle including in combination: a body-member formed of sheet; material reversely bent upon itself to provide a front-panel and a back-panel integrally united at their respective outer ends by an outer end-wall and converging toward their opposite ends to provide a longitudinally-tapered structure; and a gripping-member having a gripping-bar extending transversely across the front face of the frontpanel of the said body-member, the said gripping-member also including rearwardly-projecting camming-means engaging with the backpanel of the said body-member to effect the rearward movement of the gripping-bar of the said gripping-member a-s the latter is moved longitudinally with respect to the said bodymember.

10. A slide-buckle including in combination: a body-member formed of sheet material reversely bent upon itself to provide a front-panel and a back-panel integrally united at their respective outer ends by an outer end-wall and converging toward their opposite ends to provide a longitudinally-tapered structure; and a grippingmember having a gripping-bar extending transversely across the front face of the front-panel of the said body-member and provided at each of its respective opposite ends with one of two substantially-L-shaped arms each extending rearwardly from the said gripping-bar and thence inwardly into =cammingengagement with the back-panel of the said body-member.

11. A reversible slide-buckle including in combination: a longitudinally-tapered body-member having two opposite strap engaging faces sloping with respect to each other longitudinally of the body-member; strap-attaching means at the thinner of the two ends of the said longitudinally-tapered body-member and designed and adapted to-have attached thereto the fixed end of a strap; and a gripping-member having two gripping-bars one of which extends transversely across each of the respective opposite faces of the longitudinally-tapered body-member in position to clamp the free end of a strap against the adjacent face of the said body-member as the said gripping-member is moved longitudinally of the said body-member.

12. A reversible slide-buckle including in combination: a longitudinally-tapered body-member having two opposite ystrap-engaging faces sloping with respect to each other longitudinally of the body-member; strap-attaching means at the thinner of the two ends of the said longitudinally-tapered body-member and designed .and adapted to have attached thereto the fixed end of a strap; and a gripping-member having two gripping-bars one of which extends transversely across each of the respective opposite faces of the longitudinally-tapered body-member in position to clamp the free end of a strap against the adjacent face of the -said body-member as the said gripping-member is moved longitudinally of the said body-member, each of the two gripping-bars of the said gripping-member being sloped with respect to each other in a direction longitudinally of the said body-member to substantially conform in slope to the respective slopes of the two opposite faces of the said tapered body-member.

WALTER W. HOFFLAND. 

